1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to musical instruments. More specifically, the invention relates to a musical instrument having a keyboard with a displays system, and to a method for visually exhibiting musical and playing information under user control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To facilitate the teaching of musical instruments, a variety of training aids have been developed. In the recent past, electronic audiovisual devices have been produced for use with the teaching of playing stringed instruments, such as guitars, and keyboard instruments, such as pianos and organs. Some of these electronic teaching aids permit a student to play an instrument while viewing an electronically controlled display of fingering diagrams and listening to prerecorded instructions, notes, cords, etc. One class of such prior art teaching aids employs illumination elements, such as lights, that are arrayed on or near the musical instrument being played. These illumination elements, when energized by a control circuit, are intended to visually indicate to the student the proper finger positions. In addition, an audio output simultaneously provides a musical accompaniment, teacher instructions, and so on.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,256, issued to Cecil F. Gullickson on Sep. 24, 1974, discloses a prior art musical instrument instruction aid which provides sight and sound instructions. The Gullickson patent discloses a keyboard type musical instrument having an illumination means composed of lights that are embedded in the keys. The lights connect to a control circuit which illuminates the lights in accordance with coded information prerecorded on a magnetic tape. The control circuit selectively and sequentially illuminates the lights in accordance with the prerecorded coded information to visually indicate to the user the particular keys to be struck. An audio means also responds to the magnetic tape which, in addition to the coded information, contains audio signals for playing melodies, beats, voice instructions, and the like as the illumination means is being energized.
Other examples of this class of musical instruments appear in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,723 issued to Isao Shinohara et al. on Sep. 22, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,612, issued to Naoaki Matsumoto on Mar. 24, 1987; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,365, issued to Shunichi Iwaki on Dec. 27, 1983. These patents illustrate various types of keyboard display systems designed to help the beginning player follow the display with greater ease. Many of the prior art instructional keyboards of this class also provide display, playback and accompaniment systems for use by more experienced musicians when they are trying to master difficult pieces or special playing techniques. Further, the instructional display systems of some musical keyboards of this class can be effectively employed by musicians as a aid in composing and/or arranging music.
Although these prior art systems have served many purposes, they have not proved entirely satisfactory for a number of reasons. The display and control systems of many prior art systems are not easily used by a person who has little or no musical experience. For example, most of the prior art systems fail to display finger positions in a clear and unambiguous manner. Also, the illumination means in many of the prior art systems make it difficult for the user to quickly find the keys to be struck, thereby impeding the learning process. Further prior art systems do not provide sufficient user control of the system so that the instrument may be easily accommodated to a particular skill level or specialized use such as music composition and arranging.
Consequently, because of these and other deficiencies, those skilled in these arts recognize the need for improved musical keyboard display systems and display methods that mitigate the many problems resulting from these deficiencies. The present invention fulfills this need.